Cat lovers are hissing back at the National Park Service‘s plans to dismantle a colony of stray felines in Plumb Beach, Brooklyn. According to a sign first spotted by Sheepshead Bites, the NPS will begin demolition work on the habitat that 25 strays call home on Friday, June 13th. Animal protection advocates also fear that city workers will go in and mass-euthanize the feral population in addition to just taking apart their dwellings.

The cats have been known to live quietly in the area for over 11 years. In that time, they’ve survived harsh winters and even Hurricane Sandy.

While the Plumb Beach cats technically do not have owners, the colony has attracted caretakers who have fed, vaccinated, and neutered 25 or so kitties. Now those same feline aficionados are crying foul saying that the park service is planning to euthanize the animals. Animal protection groups, meanwhile, are fighting for more time to relocate the group of feral cats.

Despite all this, park officials claim the cat colony is prohibited on federal property and that work has to be done to protect the native species of small mammals, shorebirds, and reptiles in the area. Plumb Beach is just part of the much larger 26,000 acre Gateway National Recreation Area. The wide expanse of federal parkland is host to multiple species of migratory birds and other wildlife including horseshoe crabs.

Although the park service is somewhat justified, we hope the cats will be properly carted to an animal shelter or adopted soon. Animal advocates also are asking for help to contact the Parks Department’s biologist Doug Adamo at (718)-354-4510 or Doug_adamo@NPS.gov to reconsider demolishing the colony or to give volunteers more time to safely relocate the colony.